Little Derek
by lavender.ferryboats
Summary: Cute oneshot of a little moment in the lives of Meredith and Derek. Post Season 4. AU.


**A little oneshot I had in my files.**

The house was already dark when he pulled into the driveway. The residents had the night off, and were all in bed, getting some much needed sleep. Derek shut off the engine and walked up to the front door. Carefully, he went in as quietly as possible, easing the screen door close gently, instead of letting it bang shut. He could smell the faint scent of sweet muffins and cakes, like Izzie had went on a baking binge before she went to bed tonight.

Climbing up the stairs was tricky, the old wood creaked and squealed when he didn't step correctly. He had three surgeries that day, and he could feel his back whining at him already. He just wanted their comfortable king size bed and Meredith. It still makes him smile when he found how comfortable he was referring to Meredith's Seattle Grace's hostel or house as their house. It was also a delight to see a little sparkle flare up in Meredith's eyes when he said it too.

He finally made to their bedroom, without waking up anyone. Well, looking at Meredith's still form in bed, he should say he didn't wake up anyone that was possible to wake up. Meredith's talent is to be able to sleep anywhere, anytime. A freight train can run through her room and she can sleep through it. Smiling, Derek quickly shed his clothes and changed into his t-shirt and flannel pants before going to the washroom to wash up quickly.

Carefully, he slide under the covers and reached for Meredith's slim waist to cuddle. But instead of being able to curl his hand around her waist and pulling her back to his chest like always, his hands touched something fury and warm. He frowned and looked closely before he groaned.

Little Derek.

He winced just thinking of that ridiculous name. Little Derek was a stuffed lion that he had gotten Meredith at a fair held in Seattle a few weeks ago. They had a rare day off during the weekends, and Derek thought it would be fun to go out when they can. He was rarely able to treat Meredith to a date and go out as a normal couple would, so he had insisted they go out instead of staying in bed all day, despite Meredith's persuasions. Their date brought them to the fair that was held in the city. He could still remember Meredith's shocked face when he brought her there, and the way she protested and threatened to admit him to the psych ward. But after a few minutes walking around the ground, Meredith was giggling and dragging him around to the various rides and eating her blue cotton candy with glee. Derek could bet his right arm that Meredith never went to a fair before as a child, which she admitted to him shyly after giving him a big, cotton-candy sticky kiss. Nevertheless, as any proper boyfriend would do at a fair with his girlfriend, Derek "showed off his manliness" as Meredith puts it, and got her a stuffed toy from the dart stands.

He got her the biggest one they had, and Meredith insisted on the lion. When he asked her why, she just smirked at him and shook her head. For the rest of the date, she held the stuffed lion tightly in her arms, cooed at it and called it, "Little Derek," much to his annoyance. And of course she didn't tell him why she picked that name.

But as usual, Meredith was too adorable and she was giggling and happy, and he just couldn't be annoyed when Meredith is like that. However, the cuteness can only last so long before it was flat out annoying. Meredith cuddles with the thing in bed, for Christ's sakes! When Derek holds her in bed, she doesn't hug him back, no, she hugs him and the stuffed toy. And every night when they could not come home together, and she is asleep already, Meredith is hugging the stuffed toy. When he suggested that she dropped the stuffed toy and not to hug it every night like a lover, she narrowed her cat-like green eyes at him and hissed.

And now, Meredith is asleep, and hugging the damn toy again. Derek wished from the bottom of his heart that he didn't take her to the fair that day and stayed in bed. He couldn't help but glare at the stuffed lion. Derek was exhausted and stressed and his back is complaining at him, and he just wanted to cuddle with his girlfriend, and only his girlfriend. And the stuffed lion was driving him out of his mind. Determined, Derek grabbed the fuzzy ear and yanked, hard. The stuffed toy came free but Meredith whimpered. Derek froze in his movement, hoping that he didn't wake her up. A moment passed, and Meredith curled into herself, fast asleep.

Victoriously, Derek pulled his arm back and threw the idiotic stuffed toy into the bathroom. The damn thing could soak for all he cared. Finally, Derek curled his arms around her waist and pulled her back into his chest, and buried his face into her hair. And just like before, her tiny hands grasped onto his and tucked it under her chin. Now he can sleep.

All too soon, Derek heard the annoying buzz of their alarm clock on their nightstand. Without opening his eyes, he reached over to slam it shut, nuzzling his face into Meredith's neck to wake her up. He was always the one to turn off the alarm clock and wake Meredith up, just as any boyfriend should. He bet the stupid stuffed toy can't do that. Yet, something was grasping his hand that was reaching out, and he was nuzzling his face into open space.

Frowning, he opened his eyes confusedly. Meredith couldn't have woken up already, she never does. When his eyes focused on the view in front of him, he wished he had pretended to sleep. Meredith was sitting in front of him, grasping onto his hand, and her eyes were once again narrowed.

"Good morning, Mere." Tired as he is, Derek tried his best to smile the McDreamy smile to appease her. His grin widened when he saw that Meredith was only wearing his dress shirt. A man always likes the sight of his woman dressed in his clothes, second best to her naked.

"Where the hell is Little Derek?" She growled.

"Oh God, Mere..." He groaned. First thing in the morning.

"What the hell did you do to him?"

"Why do you think it's me?" He asked, hoping to get away.

"Don't play innocent with me. I know it was you, because you're the only one that hates him." She hissed in anger, the golden flasks in her green eyes sparkling. Beautiful.

"Mere, it's a stuffed lion, not a he. A he has to be a living thing, a person." He said softly.

"He's my Little Derek!"

"Can you please not call him that? it's disturbing." Derek winced, hating the name.

"It is not disturbing, and you don't even know why I call him that."

Derek didn't want to point out that a grown woman cuddling and naming her stuffed toy is a bit disturbing, and that most people wouldn't call it normal. But he doubts she would want to hear it. "I don't want to know why." He closed his eyes and put his arm over his face. He heard her sigh, before some fabric rustled, and he felt her warm weight straddling his stomach.

She pulled his arm away and leaned forward. "Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror in the morning?" She asked in a soft voice, soothing him despite his frustrations.

"What about it?"

"You're stubbles are darker around your cheeks and your chin, they feel rough and it hurts when you kiss me in the morning, but I love the way you look so I don't tell you to shave it off until later. And your hair is all over the place, all curly and messy. Just like a lion."

"What?" His eyes popped open, while he listened to her gentle voice.

"I insisted on the lion, because when you work late and I'm home early, I couldn't sleep. I need you in bed with me when I sleep, so that I won't miss you too much. The stuffed toy helped me. Granted, he's not you, but I have something to cuddle with and it helps me sleep."

"Mere..." He breathed.

"You don't have to be jealous, Derek." She smiled, running her fingers through his hair.

"You pay more attention to him than to me." He couldn't help but whine.

"Because you're so cute when you're all jealous and pouty, sitting on the other side of the bed when I cuddle with Little Derek." She giggled, now rubbing her hands in small circles on his chest.

"I don't find that funny." He pouted.

"It's okay, Dere." She cooed, curling up in his arms. "I'll stop cuddling with Little Derek when you're home from now on."

"Good." Though he wished that she wouldn't cuddle with the toy at all, but he won't say it.

"So where did you hide him?" She asked, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"I threw him into the bathroom." He mumbled, wrapping his hand in her hair to pull her in closer. But she pushed him away and went into the bathroom and picked up the stuffed toy, that was unfortunately, ahem, fortunately, dry.

He watched her hugged the toy tight to her chest and kissed the fury head, and his eyes hardened. He cleared his throat loudly.

Meredith rolled her eyes and placed the toy on the chair in the corner of the room before climbing back into his arms. 'Lighten up, Derek." But he just grunted.

"So I guess I can't dress him up in your clothes to smell like you, right?" She cooed with a teasing smile. He glared at her and kissed her hard, pining her down into the pillow beside him until she giggled.

Later, his hair messier than before, he nuzzled his face into her neck happily. "Mere?"

"Yeah?"

"It's Big Derek, not Little Derek."

"Of course." She giggled, hugging him tighter into her chest. "My big, strong, manly man."

**I hope you enjoyed that! Now, tell me what you think!**


End file.
